Power saws are a type of cutting tool, which are useful for quickly and easily cutting material, such as construction lumber and other building products. A common type of power saw is a portable circular saw, which includes an electric motor, a circular saw blade coupled to the electric motor, and a foot plate through which a portion of the circular saw blade extends. Typically, a user prepares for cutting a workpiece with a circular saw by resting the foot plate on the workpiece, aligning the saw blade with a desired cut path. Then the user energizes the electric motor and manually guides the rotating circular saw blade in the direction of the cut path, often following a marked line on the workpiece.
Some circular saws include a lockout power switch for energizing the electric motor. The lockout power switch includes a main switch element and a lockout element. The lockout power switch is activated by moving the lockout element to an engaged position and then moving the main switch element to an engaged position, which energizes the electric motor. The main switch element is not movable to the engaged position unless the lockout element is moved to the engaged position to prevent the electric motor from becoming inadvertently energized.
The lockout power switch of most circular saws works well to prevent the electric motor from being inadvertently energized; however, some lockout power switches are uncomfortable and inconvenient to operate. For example, it can be difficult for some users to maintain both switch elements in the engaged position when performing a cutting operation.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a circular saw having an improved lockout power switch that works effectively to prevent the electric motor from becoming inadvertently energized and that is comfortable and convenient to operate.